Attica Prison riot

Attica Prison riot. The Attica Prison riot, also known as the Attica Uprising, was a major prison riot and law enforcement assault that occurred at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, from September 9 to 13, 1971. It was a pivotal event in the history of the United States penal system and the broader Civil rights movement, highlighting systemic racism, brutal prison conditions, and the struggle for human rights by incarcerated people, many of whom were African Americans and Puerto Ricans. The violent retaking of the prison by state authorities, which resulted in 43 deaths, became a symbol of state repression and a catalyst for the prisoners' rights movement.

Background and Causes

The uprising was the culmination of years of oppressive conditions and racial tensions within the New York prison system. Attica Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison, was severely overcrowded and housed a disproportionately high number of minority inmates. Living conditions were deplorable, with inmates allowed only one shower per week and one roll of toilet paper per month. The prison was also marked by pervasive racism, with a nearly all-white correctional officer staff overseeing a majority non-white population. Inmates were subjected to brutal disciplinary practices and had virtually no avenues for redress of grievances. These conditions mirrored the systemic injustices being challenged by the Black Power movement, the Young Lords, and other social justice organizations on the outside. A key catalyst was the death of George Jackson, a prominent Black Panther Party member and prison activist, who was killed at San Quentin State Prison on August 21, 1971, galvanizing prisoner solidarity nationwide.

The Riot and Takeover

On the morning of September 9, 1971, a routine incident in a prison yard escalated into a full-scale rebellion. Inmates, using improvised weapons, quickly gained control of large sections of the facility, including the central hub known as D Yard. They took 42 prison staff and civilians as hostages. The inmates, demonstrating remarkable organization, formed a governing body and drafted a manifesto of demands. These demands, influenced by the language of the civil rights movement, were not merely for material improvements like better food and medical care, but for fundamental political and human rights. They called for an end to censorship of reading materials, religious freedom, and, most significantly, amnesty from prosecution for the acts of the rebellion. A group of outside observers, including New York State Assemblyman Arthur Eve, journalist Tom Wicker of *The New York Times*, and radical lawyer William Kunstler, were invited in to facilitate negotiations and witness the proceedings.

Negotiations and State Assault

For four days, negotiations took place between inmate representatives, the observers' committee, and state officials, including Corrections Commissioner Russell G. Oswald and Governor Nelson Rockefeller. The negotiations, broadcast to the inmates via loudspeaker, made progress on many of the practical demands. However, Governor Rockefeller, advised by officials like State Police Superintendent John C. Monahan, refused the core demand for full amnesty. With negotiations at an impasse, Rockefeller authorized a massive armed assault to retake the prison. On the morning of September 13, after authorities cut the prison's water and electricity, a force of over 500 state police and correctional officers launched a chaotic and indiscriminate assault using shotguns, rifles, and tear gas. The assault lasted only minutes but resulted in a horrific toll.

Aftermath and Casualties

The immediate aftermath was a scene of carnage and retaliation. When the smoke cleared, 43 people were dead: 33 inmates and 10 hostages. Official reports initially claimed the hostages had their throats slit by inmates, but autopsies conducted by Erie County Medical Examiner John F. Edland proved this to be a lie. All 39 people who died on September 13—hostages and inmates alike—were killed by gunfire from the assaulting officers. Dozens more were seriously injured. In the hours and days following the assault, inmates were subjected to brutal reprisals, including being forced to run naked through gauntlets of officers who beat them, and being denied medical treatment. The cover-up of state responsibility began immediately, orchestrated by officials including Deputy Attorney General Robert E. Fischer.

Legal Proceedings and Investigations

The legal aftermath was protracted and largely failed to deliver accountability. A grand jury, influenced by the state's narrative, indicted 62 inmates for various crimes, but only one was convicted. No law enforcement officer was ever criminally charged for the killings. Inmates and families of the slain prisoners filed civil rights lawsuits, most notably *Inmates of Attica Correctional Facility v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. v. Rockefeller, the United States v. v. v. Rockefeller, New York City of New York City of the Prisoners' 1971 1970s' 1970, the Attica Prison riotomission of the Prison riot's. The state|States, 1971, a|rights|States Supreme Court of New York City|States of the Attica Prison riot|States of New York State Assaults Rights Movement. The state|rights 1971, 1971, the United States of the Attica Prison riotous, the Prison riot-